School of War
Nebulous Media
This podcast seeks to learn what war teaches. There has been a steady decline in the study of military history and its associated theoretical discipline, strategy.This podcast seeks to fill that gap through in-depth interviews on military and diplomatic history. Our guests have included former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the Cold War historian John Lewis Gaddis, and former China Select Committee chairman Mike Gallagher. We discuss the battlefield commanders, diplomats, strategists, policymakers, and statesmen who have had to make wartime decisions in the ancient and modern eras. The subject of an episode may be an historical battle, campaign, or conflict; the conduct of policy in the course of a major international incident; the work of a famous strategist; the nature of a famous weapon; or the legacy of an important military commander or political leader. Aaron MacLean is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute. He has worked as a foreign policy advisor and legislative director to Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and spent seven years in the U.S. Marine Corps.Visit our Substack for episode transcriptsFollow along on Instagram
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 2, 2021 • 36min
Ep. 3: Andrew Roberts on King George III
BiographyAndrew Roberts is a professor, author, and military historian. He's written or edited nearly 20 books, including biographies of Sir Winston Churchill and Napoleon, as well as his latest title, The Last King of America: The Misunderstood Reign of George III. Roberts is a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and the War Studies Department at King’s College, London. Times
03:02- Introduction
04:05 - Why King George?
06:20 - How Britain wages war
13:39 - Party and class politics
15:44 - Britain's military strategy during the Revolutionary War
19:10 - Comparisons between the Revolution and World War II
20:30 - Fabian strategy in the Revolution
23:15 - George III's role in the War
25:52 - Forming new regiments
28:01 - What the British learn from their defeat
31:32 - Modern American portrayals of King George III
33:23 - Critiquing King George III's leadership and performance
Recorded September 17, 2021
Oct 26, 2021 • 43min
Ep. 2: Daniel Bolger on Maurice Rose
BiographyDaniel Bolger is a retired Lieutenant General of the United States Army. A graduate of the Citadel, Lt. General Bolger earned five bronze stars during his time in the military. He served as the commander of several units, including the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, as well as the NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan. He earned a Ph.D. in military history form the University of Chicago and currently teaches at North Carolina State University.Times
02:04 - Introduction
03:15 - Why Maurice Rose?
06:30 - What we know about Rose
10:39 - Rose's Motivations and relentless leadership
12:31 - Tank divisions in World War II
17:14 - Tank warfare following D-Day and maneuvering through the bocages
22:29 - Rose's command in the Battle of the Falaise Pocket
27:06 - Exhaustion and perseverance during battle
29:55 - What it takes to be a successful commander
34:07 - The final months of the War for Rose
40:09 - Leadership in today's forces
Recorded August 27, 2021
92 snips
Oct 19, 2021 • 44min
Ep. 1: H.R. McMaster on the Gulf War
BiographyH. R. McMaster is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He was the 26th assistant to the president for National Security Affairs. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy and served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army for thirty-four years before retiring as a Lieutenant General in June 2018.He is the author of Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World and Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Lies that Led to Vietnam. Times
03:10 - Introduction
04:02 - Biography
06:35 - Leading Eagle Troop
08:16 - Post Cold War preparation for Desert Shield and Desert Storm
15:17 - The Battle of the 73 Easting
23:17 - Advantages of the American military
26:12 - Overconfidence in American military dominance
29:16 - China's reaction to the Gulf War and technological development
32:30 - China's tactics
35:04 - The Biden administration's withdrawal from Afghanistan
Recorded August 31, 2021
Oct 6, 2021 • 2min
Trailer
An introduction to the podcast 'School of War' hosted by Aaron McClain. Highlights the importance of learning from war and previews the topics covered in future episodes.
